Paraeducator learned a few lessons herself

Margaret Warder spent more than 20 years in the private sector as a business executive leading sales teams, but a phone conversation with her then-8-year-old daughter in 2001 while on business in Atlanta caused Warder to reevaluate her career path.

“She said, ‘Mommy, the “Harry Potter” movie is coming out tomorrow and you promised to take me,’” Warder said in recounting the words of Sabrina Johnson, now 22, who graduated from Laguna College of Art + Design on Monday.

“I couldn’t be out flying all the time and thinking about who would pick up Sabrina” at school, Warder said.

So she opted to pursue a second career, and is now being honored for her work.

When she made up her mind that a change must be made, Warder took the California Board of Education test that allowed her to substitute teach and eventually became a paraeducator at Top of the World Elementary School, helping students who need special attention in reading and math.

Warder, who is also the Laguna Beach chapter president for the California School Employees Assn., was one of five classified school employees statewide to be named a 2015 Member of the Year. The union represents classified school employees in the state.

A selection committee chose Warder — who was nominated by colleagues — and the other four honorees from among 200,000 employees. Warder, 65, was the only award recipient from Orange County.

The award honors classified employees who most exemplify the association’s mission to improve the lives of members, students and the community, CSEA Communications Director Frank Polito wrote in an email.

Whether it’s helping kids get to school safely in the morning as a volunteer crossing guard, improving students’ reading skills or overseeing employee contract negotiations, Warder is involved in the Laguna Beach Unified School District.

“Every day she comes to school with a smile on her face,” Top of the World Principal Mike Conlon said. “She is always willing to help out and support with whatever is needed.”

Warder works with 30 students from kindergarten through fifth grade on reading fluency and comprehension, getting them to sound out words or explain a story’s sequence of events.

Since joining the district in 2003, Warder has created lessons to aid students in math, taught fourth grade for a month until a full-time instructor could be hired and developed lesson plans for summer school courses.

Warder has led the Laguna Beach CSEA chapter for eight years. She attends school board meetings, updating trustees on contract negotiations, and has participated with committees on insurance and job reclassifications.

Warder is also one of 36 district employees who completed the city’s Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, training. Graduates of the program are ready to assist in a disaster, whether suppressing small fires, providing first aid or checking on neighbors.

Staying active is important to Warder, who said she needed to evolve.

“You have to engage ... because that is what life is all about,” Warder said. “It’s not about going to work and watching TV at night.

“Life is about living. What I tell kids about reading is have a passion for something.”

The CSEA will recognize Warder and the other four winners in July at the association’s annual conference in Las Vegas.